(Minneapolis, January 27, 2026) — Registered nurse Alex Pretti, who served veterans at the Minneapolis VA, was killed while acting as a legal observer of ICE activities, according to a statement released by National Nurses United. The death has prompted a wave of planned protests across the country demanding the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
National Nurses United members are planning a week of actions to honor Pretti and protest ICE’s actions.
- ICU nurse Alex Pretti, a veteran advocate, was killed while observing ICE activities.
- National Nurses United is organizing protests in multiple states to honor Pretti and demand the abolition of ICE.
- Protests are scheduled to take place at hospitals and VA facilities across the country between January 26 and February 1, 2026.
Pretti, an ICU registered nurse, died while peacefully observing ICE activities, according to National Nurses United. The organization alleges that federal immigration agents were responsible for his death. The protests, organized by National Nurses United, aim to honor Pretti and all those who have died as a result of ICE actions, as well as to call for the agency’s abolition.
Protests Planned Across the Country
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Actions are planned at numerous locations across the United States, beginning Monday, January 26, 2026, and continuing through February 1, 2026. Protests will take place at hospitals, VA facilities, and other public spaces.
California
Protests are scheduled for multiple locations in California, including Doctors Medical Center in Modesto (January 29, 6:30 p.m.), Enloe Medical Center in Chico (February 1, 6 p.m.), Kaiser Oakland (January 26, 5:15 p.m.), Kaiser Roseville (January 28, 6 p.m.), Kaiser San Francisco (January 27, 7:30 a.m. – 8 a.m.), Kaiser San Jose (January 26, 3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.), Kaiser San Leandro (January 26, 3:30 p.m.), Kaiser Santa Clara (January 26, 3:30 p.m.), Kaiser Santa Rosa (January 29, 6:30 p.m.), Kaiser Vallejo (January 26, 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.), Kaiser Walnut Creek (January 26, 3:45 p.m. – 5 p.m.), Sacramento Area Nurses (January 28, 4 p.m.), Sutter CPMC Van Ness (January 28, 5 p.m.), UC Irvine (January 28, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.), UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center (January 28, 7:45 a.m.), UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center (January 29, 12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.), UCLA West Valley Medical Center (January 28, 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.), UCSF, Children’s Hospital Oakland (January 26, 6 p.m.), and UCSF, Mission Bay (January 26, 6:30 p.m.).
Other States
Additional protests are planned in Arizona (Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital, Tucson, January 28, 6:15 p.m.), Colorado (Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Aurora, January 28, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.), the District of Columbia (DC VA Central Office/HQ, January 28, 5:30 p.m.), Florida (HCA Florida Osceola Hospital, Kissimmee, January 30, 6 p.m.), Kansas (Ascension Via Christi St. Francis Hospital, Wichita, January 29, 6 p.m.), Illinois (Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, January 28, 7:30 p.m.), Maine (Maine Nurses, Portland, January 30, 6 p.m.), Minnesota (MNA Nurses’ Candlelight Vigil for Alex Pretti, Minneapolis, January 28, 7 p.m.), Missouri (Saint Louis University Hospital nurses, Sappington, January 28, 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.), Nevada (St. Rose Siena Hospital, Henderson, January 28, 7:30 p.m.), New York (VA NY Harbor Healthcare System, January 29, 5 p.m. – 6 p.m.), North Carolina (Durham VA, January 28, 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.), Ohio (Levine Park, Cincinnati, January 28, 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.), and Texas (Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin, January 28, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. and Corpus Christi Medical Center, January 29, 6:45 p.m.).
Why It Matters
The death of Alex Pretti and the subsequent protests highlight growing concerns about the actions of ICE and the impact of immigration enforcement on public health and safety. National Nurses United has been a vocal critic of ICE, arguing that the agency’s policies create fear and distrust within communities, hindering access to healthcare. The protests represent a direct challenge to ICE’s authority and a demand for systemic change in immigration policy. The organization’s call for abolition reflects a broader movement advocating for alternatives to incarceration and a more humane approach to immigration.
Time.news based this report on information provided by National Nurses United.
